His supporters in England have booed him. Gay organizations in the West have criticized him. But then, LGBTQ Saudis who fled the nation out of fear for their lives have criticized Jordan Henderson for moving to Al-Ettifaq earlier this year in exchange for a pay check of reportedly £700,000 per year.
Gay Saudis have accused Henderson of “orientalism,” of prioritizing income over human rights, and of having a” white lord complex” in an analysis by i into the crimes of sexual and gender minority in Saudi Arabia.
One gay Saudi called the notion that the England midfielder could alter anything in this absolute king, which punishes sexuality with terms like prison, beatings, and the dying penalty,” full bullshit.” He is one of three Gay individuals from the Gulf State who are currently sharing their tales of mistreatment and oppression to warn others about the perilous circumstances in their neighborhood.
In an effort to dispel claims of” sportswashing,” or using activity to mask human rights violations, the Saudi regime is now implementing a multi-billion dollar public relations plan to boost its standing on the international stage. This includes becoming the only nation still vying to number the 2034 World Cup.
Henderson has defended his choice in a number of ways since moving to the Al- Ettifaq this summertime after years of promoting himself as an alliance of the LGBTQ community. He declared:” I’m playing basketball in a different country, and I want to try to improve the activity on the ball as well as things off-the-pitch,” after receiving jeers from the crowds at Wembley Stadium during an England-Australian match in October.
He had previously expressed his support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World Cup, stating on social media that he was “very excited about the news” and adding,” Go, Arabia 2034.” Gareth Southgate, the manager of England, claimed he did n’t know why Henderson was mocked. Southgate retorted,” What does that have to do with supporting a man wearing an England sweater?” when asked if the person’s support for Saudi Arabia’S World Cup charge might have been the catalyst.
The picture the Royal club broadcast of their fresh gamer had been changed when Henderson’s signing was announced. His rainbow bracelet, which served as a symbol of LGBTQ unity, had been changed to black and white.
Henderson, however, stated to Channel 4 that he had” no regrets” about joining the Saudi club and that it was “only a good thing to have someone like myself, with the values I have, in Saudi Arabia.” Henderson also recently stated in The Athletic,” I can understand the stress.” I can see why you’re angry. I understand. We can all bury our heads in the sand and criticize various cultures and nations from a distance, the only thing I may say in response to that is that I’m sorry they feel that way. However, nothing will occur after that. There wo n’t be any change.
Wajeeh Lion, a queer Royal human rights activist who has social hospital in the US, said,” It’s overall bullshit.” ” We’ll be inside]Saudi Arabia ] to make change!” is the exact rhetoric that the Saudi government would use. How do you think change will occur without us getting involved?
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, the Royal sports secretary, told the BBC last year that no one is perfect and that we acknowledge that, and we are reforming, when asked about animal rights and sportswashing in relation to hosting the World Cup. And these incidents aid in our reform.
Wajeeh Lion believes that the similarities between Henderson’s remarks and those made by the Saudi minister reveal the star is naive. He claimed that the only reason athletes were there was to perform a game. People and Arabian officials are promoting the notion that “what they are doing is trying to modernize Saudi Arabia.” In the interim, nothing has changed. The law and the laws have not been altered. All of that is within the purview of the Royal state. Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has the power to change the constitution at the touch of a pen, but he wo n’t because it is not in his best interests.
Wajeeh sent a direct message to Henderson and other players who travel to Saudi Arabia:” You wo n’t have any effect over the rhetoric the government has, because once you speak up they could easily cut your pay or kick you out of the country,” despite Henderson downplaying his ability to unilaterally improve human rights there in his interview with The Athletic. They continue to be your employer. You’re that to kick the ball, never from a parliamentary or social standpoint.
You’re supporting the Saudi government, he continued, by playing in the master club of Saudi Arabia.
Shibl al-Shifl, a queer Saudi immigrant living in Britain, claimed that Henderson would not only lose all influence but also be constrained in his ability to advance any cause.
” He is unable to say something. Because the laws and the vast majority of the populace will be against him if he tried to say something. In Saudi Arabia, there is no regulation defending the right to free speech. Shibl stated that while he is” not astonished” that Henderson accepted the offer to perform for Al-Ettifaq, doing so “prioritizes” his economic interests. Individuals can make money by selling their rules. Shibl remarked,” If he were in Henderson’s shoes, I would n’t sign with a Saudi football team.” He claimed that it would take years for Saudi Arabia’s rules and way of life to change in order to free Gay people.
Alvin, a Royal trans man who told his tale to I, claimed that even if Henderson and others spoke out precisely about animal rights or Gay rights, it would still have no impact.
He claimed that the Saudi government “would n’t be interested in their beliefs.” The truth is that numerous international organizations work to prevent Gay people from being imprisoned in Gulf nations. But everything occurs. Therefore, no one person could make a difference if many people around the world are powerless to change these institutions.
Similar to this, Alvin asserted that the notion that awarding Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup likely advance human rights is misguided, with the possible exception of travellers and Westerners. Of course not, he replied. similar to what occurred in Qatar. Gulf nations welcome light people who identify as gay, but this is never the situation for the locals. Instead, he claimed, the Saudi government “whitewash” and “hide the facts” about what they do to their unique people. Foreigners who accept sizable amounts in Royal transactions who claim that their actions may benefit human rights should “use it as an excuse,” according to Alvin.
According to Wajeeh, Henderson and another ‘ assertion that by playing for a Saudi team they could improve the lives of marginalized people smacks of” white salvour complex,” or the idea that white people mistakenly think they can somehow save people of color. The phrase is essentially important because it implies that people of color lack agency by nature while also considering themselves to be superior and kind.
Wajeeh believes that the Saudi authorities is “playing on the bright lord trend” in the interim. Therefore, they are going to light players who believe they can save the planet and who simply play on that belief. That ego is stroked. We do n’t want a savior, we want our rights back, he continued. We want material modifications to the Royal legal system, justice, and the release of prisoners.
Wajeeh remarked that Henderson’s claim that his existence could spur development in Saudi Arabia off the field even smells of “orientalism.” The phrase was first used criticalally and academically in the 1970s to describe a particular colonial, patronizing, and fetishising attitude held by white Westerners toward Middle Easterners, viewing such nations as both wild and poor.
Wajeeh remarked on Henderson’s remarks,” It is completely orientalist.” ” As much as we fight against it, we recognize that many authors really think they can resolve the Middle East with straightforward remedies.”
The main issue, according to Wajeeh, is why Saudi Arabia wo n’t alter its laws governing LGBT rights. He claimed that these laws are connected to other human rights, including those of women, workers, and freedom of expression, all of which are thought to pose a threat to the Saudi monarch’s authority.
What’s at risk in this situation is that once they let go of one item, they worry that people will beg for more. Considering that this is not politics. They’re worried about losing the entire monarchy. He described the Saudi rulers ‘ fear, which is occasionally expressed to Western media, as follows:” I give them this now? They desire their liberty monday. They intend to rebel against me tomorrow. They want democracy monday.
Wajeeh used the event of Loujain al-Hathloul, a woman’s right activist who was at the vanguard of the campaign for women” driving privileges, which were granted in 2018, as an illustration. The government of Mohammed bin Salman” threw her in jail.” To imply that I did not grant you the straight; rather, I chose to do so was the goal of this. Hence, this is what will happen to you if you start protesting.
I asked Jordan Henderson’s members for comment, but they did not answer.
Sportswashing in Saudi Arabia
Sporting events, sponsorships, and players have received billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia in recent years, leading to accusations of sportswashing—using activity to mask human rights violations—in particular in sport, boxing, or football.
According to a The Guardian research from earlier this year, the Kingdom has invested £4.9 billion in sporting events through its Public Investment Fund since 2021. According to Grant Liberty’s quotes, this is more than four times as much as was spent over the previous six years.
Newcastle United was purchased by Saudi Arabia’s Pending for$ 391 million in 2021.
Global football star Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly agreed to play for Al-Nasser for$ 75 million per year in May of this year, with additional potential earnings of over$ 100 million.
Al-Ettifaq paid England more than £12 million in July for Jordan Henderson. According to a director for Amnesty UK,” We may need him to review Saudi Arabia’s history of human rights violations and be prepared to speak out about those breaches in the nation.” Steven Gerrard became the team’s head coach that same quarter.
However, these campaigns to entice famous people to Saudi Arabia have n’t always been successful. French captain Kylian Mbappe was reportedly offered a document$ 259 million by Saudi team Al Hilal in July, but he declined. And Moussa Diaby picked Aston Villa over Al-Nasser, the Saudi Arabian Pro League team, both of which were making$ 60 million offers.
By investing$ 2 billion in the new LIV Golf game, Saudi Arabia rose to the top of the professional golf rankings in 2021. This ultimately resulted in a merger with the PGA, which some have referred to as an “effective takeover.”
Last year, Saudi Arabia paid athletes like Tommy Fury and Jake Paul millions of dollars to fight there, and this year the Kingdom paid, according to reports,$ 60 million to host an exhibition match between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
